You Are There

When I wrote Stop Striving, You’re Already Enough, I shared with you my a-ha moment, when I realized that in the industry I’m in, you’re never “there.” I have friends who are uber-successful, their books have hit the New York Times Bestseller’s List, they’re high price ticket, in-demand public speakers, and they’re realizing their visions, and yet, they still crave more. There’s no limit to the success you can achieve in this business – hell, Oprah probably worries that she’s not “there” because her network isn’t a raging success.

To attain inner peace, at some point, you just have to accept that you’re already enough, regardless of the level of outer success you’ve achieved.

The Shadow Of The Visionary

When you’re a visionary on a mission to change the world, like every physician in the Whole Health Medicine Institute, each of my mentoring clients, and every Visionary Ignition Switch student, it’s so easy to wind up on the perpetual treadmill, “sperming” your way to the realization of your oh-so-noble and world-changing vision.

One visionary is trying to help a million women balance their hormones. Another is trying to convert everyone to veganism. Others are trying to save the environment or enlighten those who oppose gay marriage or emancipate the victims of human sex trafficking or feed the hungry. I am on a mission to heal health care.

These are beautiful, enlightened visions. Thank God for visionaries like this.

And yet, when you dig a little deeper into the shadows of us visionaries, you discover something a bit hairy, something covered up with layers of golden light, something… that looks and smells suspiciously like ego. And dirty feet. But mostly like ego.

The Big Why?

I asked a fellow visionary the other day why we were both even remotely tempted to sell out our families, our friends, our self care, or our health in service to a mission, even a noble one? What is the driving force that makes us do this?

We were both left with a bitter taste in our mouths, probably from all those dirty feet we had to admit to licking.

When you get visionaries together and invite them to get really honest, most of us have to admit that somewhere, deep down, we worry that, unless we do big things/ make our mark/ save the world/ help people heal/ _________________ [fill in your own blank], we’re not enough.

Maybe, we think, if only we cure cancer or revolutionize a broken system or raise money for children orphaned by genocide or… I don’t know… end world hunger, maybe then we will have real value in the world.

Does this sound like you? Are you one of us dirty feet lickers?

Someone Needs To Save The World, Right?

When I stare into the shadow of what feels like truth, I have to ponder what life would be like if all the visionaries knew – without a shadow of a doubt – that we were already enough. Would we lose our motivation to save the world? Would we wind up sitting under bodi trees in the lotus position, reveling in the inner peace of our enoughness? And then who would crusade for change when it needs to happen?

Does the world depend on ego-driven, dirty feet-licking visionaries to keep it sane? Or can we let go of the need to be more and still be effective crusaders?

I don’t know the answer to this. Feel free to enlighten me.

What I do know is this.

You Have Arrived, Darling

As I was preparing to go on my book tour for my new book Mind Over Medicine: Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Yourself (order it here), my super grounded and ever-inspiring friend Kris Carr was giving me a pep talk. She said, “You have arrived, darling. I officially declare you ‘there.’ ”

And the voice of my Gremlin went ballistic. “No you’re not! Your publisher is expecting big things of you. You have to sell enough books to pay out your advance. The public television special they’re producing about your work has to convert to effective fund-raising for PBS. You’re not there yet! You have to work harder, rehearse more, go to more cities on your book tour, make it happen.

And then I bopped my Gremlin on the head until he was stunned into silence. I fed him a few peanuts, rubbed his little Buddha belly, and told him to quiet down, that although I know his scared little Gremlin voice is just trying to protect me, I am safe, I am enough, and he doesn’t need to prattle on the way he does.

That’s when the voice of my Inner Pilot Light chimed in. And what it said applies not just to me, but to you. So pay attention.

You Are Enough

Darling, you have arrived. You have nothing left to prove. You are inherently valuable, not because of how much you’ve achieved, but simply because you have within you a spark of divinity that makes you essentially valuable. Just look at any baby and you’ll see the inherent worth within every human being. You don’t have to earn that value because you just ARE.

Stop pushing. Stop striving. Stop trying to impress anybody. Stop being so spermy and just trust that you are enough, just as you are. Give up trying to be perfect because you’re guaranteed to fail, and remember that your imperfections are the gateway to intimacy with others who can relate to your vulnerabilities. Stop trying to get “there” and just savor being HERE. You are enough. You have arrived.

Take a deep breath and drink that in.

Do You Believe Me?

Is your Inner Pilot Light pulling out pom poms? Or is your Gremlin ranting right about now? How can visionaries effect positive change without getting caught in the black hole of ego that always strives for more?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

P.S. Have you read Mind Over Medicine yet? If so, BLESS YOU for supporting the birth of my book baby! I’d be so grateful if you’d tell me what you think. Post your review on Amazon here.

Feel free to share the love if you liked this post

Thank you for this post. I spend most of my time feeling like “it’s” not enough, ” I’m” not enough, etc. I feel like I am leading a life that is not authentic much of the time. All my choices for many years have been around what I think is right for my children, and/or based on money ( the lack of). I am always seeking more answers and end up with too much information and become stuck. Your question about who is showing up- the Gremlin or the Cheerleader? The answer is: both. Hence the “stuck-ness.”

Kelli Roig

I loved this article and have shared it across 4 twitter accounts and 2 facebook pages! In fact, I “stumbled” across your site just over a week ago and immediately subscribed. What an awesome concept, this “healing from within” and one I fully support, as a woman, as a 30+ year RN, and as an advocate. Thanks! Kelli Roig RN HealthyWomenThrive.Com

T.L. Parks

If our visionaries knew that they’ve already, fully arrived…then they’d be even more affective as crusaders, because beyond their messages of veganism, or saving the planet, or health-care reform…is the love and gentle presence that they wish to allow to flow freely and intimately within themselves…which chooses to manifest itself in whatever cause they are most passionate.
What makes our visionaries sparkle… are the glimpses of light that they have allowed to settle deep into the cushions of their souls. What ignites them, and attracts us to follow them, is their reminder to us, that the light shines within us as well. When ego steps in, and it usually does…we feel disconnect. Disconnect from them, disconnect from their message, and more confusion than we did before. The same disconnect that we feel in our own lives when we tussle with our ego’s, showcases itself on the big screen of our visionaries–twirling its dirty fingernail in our face. When feelings of lack or insecurity bubble up within any of us—our reliable ole’ pal “mr. Ego”…gladly steps in, as usual to save the day.
In Elkhart Tolle’s book, “A New Earth”, he talks about Frequency-Holders. Basically, there’s a small portion of folks whose outward desire to create and save the world isn’t activated in a prominent way. They seek to show success through the daily rituals of living, and the outer appearance of materialism and rewards is a nice gesture, but not necessary.
My hope, is that our visionaries practice consciously being frequency-holders more often. As they use their outward desire to create form…to remember the root of their desires ( to experience and help facilitate others to experience presence) and to hold it up in the face of an ego-oriented society. Easier said than done, thanks to the um…..”good one and bad one” within us all.
Before I part, I would like to say, that you bring up some of the most fascinating, (as in vulnerable and down n dirty honest, LOL) information that is out there. Keep up the good work! I am currently reading your book and loving it.
Take sweet care,
T. L. Parks

Lissa_Rankin

Thank you TL. I think your message is a sign from the Universe! I am currently rereading Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth.

Here’s to commitment to frequency-holding for us all,
Lissa

T.L. Parks

Sweet deal Lissa! Frequency-Holders is on page 306 of “A New Earth” which is the last chapter (Ch.10) I felt called to re-read this book as well.
T.L. Parks

Oceana

What comes to mind as I read is that we are not enough, not if we are coming from a place of ego, ever. Ego is not enough. Presence and Being is enough for everything, simply because all of that stuff we think we are fixing is out of our control. Personally, I’ve struggled especially over the last few years wondering why I do what I do. Wouldn’t it be fine to stay home, bake more healthy food, putter in my garden and be there to put on the bandaids when needed? I find a relentless boredom with it, though, and try as I might, IT is not enough. In my moments of silent meditation, what has come to me is that it is not my choice, really, what I want or don’t want. That is ego in action, trying to decide. What is most aligning for me is to lean into that purpose, that desire, that spark of what desires to create inside of me. Following that, regardless of what, who, where, when, or how, is what centers me. Ultimately, tuning into this place never presents with really hard choices, but rather a synchronicity and an ease. I’m happy barefoot in my garden teaching my child about herbs and I’m happy chatting away with an interviewer, or holding sacred space for a room full of people to have their transformational shifts.

rosie

You are so right…why do we push push..and strive…is it for acceptance? approval? In the meantime we are exhausted…our children grow up…we get older …our life passed …with a blink…do we ever stop to question? Wow thank you for your courage and strength …lighting the road towards the possibilities..now all we have to do is stop …notice….

Jennifer

There is no more powerful a message than one that comes from a person who knows and remembers he/she is enough. That knowing translates poignantly to the audience and the audience is called to the embrace of their own light’s embrace. When one remembers who and what she really is, it helps us all. I appreciate what you are contributing. Thank you.

Diane

I have recently discovered Gangaji- she’s amazing!!!!-you’ll find her on youtube and her book “Hidden Treasure” has set everything right for me. I’ve now just started on another of her books “The Diamond in your Pocket” recommended by Eckhat Tolle-need I say more ???

Lissa,your “Inner Pilot Light” messages inspire and cheer me daily-they’re brilliant !!! I love you lots and a big thank-you for being part of my life……

Lisa

I have been grieving about IT, looking, striving and seeking for IT, searching, crying obsessing and praying for IT and finally I ask the question: what the hell is “IT”?

With a gremlin who tells me in every possibly way that I am not worthy, “IT” is my inner voice (my soul) that simply wants to say “you are worthy”. I am worthy today and always. I surrender to and honor myself in order to live fully in the moment and share from my heart. The rest will simply follow the love within me. The striving is now over.Thank you Lissa for your message and direction. You rock!

ruthdemitroff

Life is a chain or a relay race. People parent or mentor so what doesn’t get accomplished by one generation becomes the work of the next generation. I’m a matriarch more than happy to let my children and their spouses be the ones to shine and be brilliant.

Nick Maneck

You may have arrived here already, but never forget it was all because of the disciplined, driven, die-hard Lissa. Every overnight success was atleast 10 years in the making. If you want to be somewhere else in 10 years, you have to start working on it earnestly. Now. Yes, you have only “arrived”, where you need to be, TODAY. That’s good but it’s not over. When the sun comes up you have to run; whether you are the antelope or the lion. You’ve got to run. The running is just a process. You might as well “train” to take it easy; but run you must.

How ironic that I would receive my daily inner pilot light message and your newsletter in perfect timing as I’m struggling with this concept myself. I have a vision to raise people’s level of awareness about the fact that their sacred truth IS that they are enough and are the powerful creators of their reality. I was going over my ‘fears’ with a business coach during a clarity session, the fear that I would constantly be chasing the next level, continually peeling back the layers of the onion as I moved through one blind spot to the next. Her comment was that I was in a parallel transformational process to the very clients I want to help. And to best assist them, I need to fully understand the process myself. That, I do! An entire life spent trying to step out of the fog that binds…to find my way, my purpose and fulfill the desires I have to make an impact on the world. Even as I know deep inside of me that I am enough, that I have arrived, that chasing the never ending carrot will not result in inner peace. I know this. But until I KNOW this, in a deep soul knowing, my ego will win out. This is part of higher ascension as we raise our levels of consciousness. The first level is survival (where most people are), followed by social consciousness, conscious awareness and bridge consciousness (where we suspend ALL judgement and fully accept the ‘isness’ of everything. We don’t see the world through the lens of polarity, or Karma, but simply in the moment, as it IS. There are 3 upper levels but most of us won’t even be able to fully immerse ourselves in this one. The first step of bridge consciousness is to: forgive ourselves and drop all judgment of self. Now if we are having an internal battle about our “arrival” or lack thereof…then we are still judging ourselves!! There is nothing to judge! it just is. If you live in the now, you won’t be focused on your failures in the past or your fear of failure in the future. You will simply be enjoying the pure bliss of living in the nonjudgmental reality of what you are doing now. And as we heard a thousand times, that is all we truly have. So KNOW that you are perfect as you are and that you have arrived whether you do more or not. Love and light to you! – Rebecca

Kim Roberts

thank you so much Lissa–was just having this dialogue with myself yesterday as I offered my first ever teleseminar–“Create a fabulous life teaching, traveling (and saving) the world” for yoga teachers with a bigger vision. It’s thrilling and inspiring to do this work of being an agent of change, inspiring others, but I noticed with suspicion that I was feeling low when my audience was not as big as i hoped. As if somehow my message was only valid if it went viral.

and yet it’s hard to keep doing your thing when it feels like no one’s watching, or caring.
looks like an ongoing discussion, and look forward to your further insights.
thanks for all you do,

oh oh oh OH do you know how awesome you are to have divinely plopped this in front of me!!! It’s going on the fridge. And did I just read correctly that you are coming to KY??!! What??!!! Chica, I will see there. I’m already gettin’ nervous. 🙂

Lissa_Rankin

Yes! I’m coming to Kentucky! Psyched to meet you!

ADiening

Lissa,

My interest in alternative health care began when I was
sixteen with an interest in yoga. Yoga became a strong source of
balance for the me during the challenges and stress associated with high
school. After attending university for one year, I decided to quit
university and follow my passion for alternative

health care. This
lead to four years of traveling, reflecting, meditation, then a yoga
teacher training program. To complement the strong eastern-based health
care perspective I had begun to develop, I decided to pursue massage
therapy at the best school I could find. The massage diploma also
applies towards a degree and I’d finally found a way to pursue
alternative health care and complete my post-secondary education.

Three
years later I graduated from RMT school and then worked a full year at
an established clinic in Victoria, BC. In 2011, I returned to my
hometown excited to share all that I had learned in my eight years away
and began my small RMT business.

What I then found was a brick wall that I have been leaning against ever since and am trying to find my way over.

There
seems to be little to no interest in alternative health care in my
small town. Every time I try to point towards holistic health care with
my patients, I get a questioning glance and then potentially a loss of a
patient. Examples of this include when I try to direct people to your
book, Mind Over Medicine.

I miss being in a bigger city where there are strong communities of like-minded people to flourish with.

In a small town I have to work as a trail blazer.

Your
picture of health care is exactly what I have found in my RMT practice.
I used to be able to sense how effective a massage was going to be for
a person before we even started it. Your book put into words the
different categories I was unconsciously assessing in my intake process.
I distinctly remember thinking “Why do I sense that a creative outlet
makes a person’s body much more likely to be able to accept what I’m
asking of it during a massage?”

Do you understand why offering
Mind Over Medicine or your Ted Talk to a patient might be so polarizing?
I have yet to understand this. I can understand why patient may
choose to pursue more traditional health care (it feels safer, more
known, etc) but why the fear response?

Have you figured this
out? And if so, if I live in an area with too small of an alternative
market do you have any tips on survival?

Tamara

Ego is all too quickly considered negative – and while often it might be, passion stems from ego and it’s passion that motivates us. That said, if you are truly aligned with your purpose – your dharma – then the outcome of your efforts are never the point. Relinquish your attachments to the outcome of your visionary pursuits and just enjoy the ride, the experience, the journey. And never stop striving for more. That’s what feeds your soul. Knowing all the while that you are enough exactly as you are.